Prosecutors sought the arrest of 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who is accused of killing two people, after the teenager allegedly violated the terms of his bond.
Rittenhouse failed to update the court with an address change within the mandatory 48-hour time frame, and attorneys for the county asked a judge to issue an arrest warrant in addition to a $200,000 increase in his bail, they said. The 18-year-old, who was released from jail following a crowdfunded bond, was charged with homicide after he allegedly gunned down three people, killing two of them, during violent August riots in Kenosha.
“It is important to note that the $2 million came from a dubious Internet fundraising campaign, and the defendant and his family did not post any money toward that bond,” the court document petitioning a penalty against Rittenhouse read. “As a result, the defendant is free from custody with minimal incentive to comply with his bond conditions. He posted no money so he has no financial stake in the bond. He is already facing the most serious possible criminal charges and life in prison, so in comparison, potential future criminal penalties are insignificant. Indeed, the defendant has already demonstrated his carefree attitude by going to a bar immediately after his arraignment on January 5, 2021 and drinking 3 beers in the company of known “Proud Boys” while flashing white supremacist signs and wearing a ‘Free as (expletive)’ shirt.”
It continued: “Rarely does our community see accused murderers roaming about freely. As a result, the defendant’s bond requires him to update the Court in writing within 48 hours of any change of address or telephone number.”
Rittenhouse allegedly killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber in addition to wounding a third victim, Gaige Grosskreutz, during prolonged unrest in the city following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, prosecutors said.
The 18-year-old was allegedly spotted at a Mount Pleasant bar in mid-January, shortly after his release from confinement, sporting a shirt that read “Free as F—” while he drank beer and posed for photographs.
Rittenhouse, who prosecutors said did not violate the terms of his bond at the time, also allegedly was in the company of members of the far-right group, the Proud Boys. In Wisconsin, drinking underage is legal if accompanied by a legal guardian, and his mother, Wendy, was reportedly present during the outing.
The teenager, who crossed state lines from Illinois to Wisconsin following the alleged shooting, was extradited in late October 2020. Rittenhouse’s lawyers in December 2020 filed a motion to dismiss the charges, but Kenosha County Court Commissioner Loren Keating rejected the effort.
Lawyers at the time argued the 18-year-old was acting in self-defense and the case against him is “one-sided.”
“In less than 48-hours, the Kenosha County District Attorney, without any meaningful investigation, charged Kyle with intentional homicide and other serious felonies — ignoring the clear video evidence of self-defense,” a webpage dedicated to releasing him read. “The God-given, constitutional right of self-defense is on trial in Kenosha, Wisconsin.”
